Note holder

ABSTRACT

A note holder for holding a notepaper, card, etc. The note holder has a foldable capability and includes a body pivotally mounted in a base. The base has an inner space for receiving the body when the note holder is folded. A slot adapted to hold a piece of paper is defined in the body and several fins are formed in the slot on the body. The fins hold the paper that is inserted in the slot in position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a note holder, and moreparticularly to a note holder that can hold a note firmly in place andcan be completely folded to save storage space make it easy to carry.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] A note holder is used to hold a piece of paper such as a note ora business card to notify or remind someone about something. Withreference to FIG. 5, a conventional note holder includes a body (40)with a top surface (not numbered). An inclined slot (41) has two curvedsurfaces facing each other. The slot (41) is adapted to hold a note (30)and is defined in the top surface of the body (40).

[0005] However, the conventional note holder has the followingshortcomings:

[0006] 1. Inconvenient to use:

[0007] The slot (41) is a simple structure and only holds the note (30)at the angle of the slot (41). The note (30) in the slot (41) cannot beheld securely in the slot (41). A large piece of paper may slide to oneside of the slot (41) or bend in half when it is in the slot (41). Sothe conventional note holder can be used to hold small pieces of paperonly.

[0008] 2. Occupies excessive space when not in use:

[0009] The body (40) is solid and is occupies a specific space at alltimes. When the note holder does not in use, the same space is requiredas when it is in use. Furthermore, the volume is inconvenient forcarrying it.

[0010] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends toprovide an improved note holder assembly to mitigate the aforementionedproblems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The main objective of the invention is to provide a foldable noteholder so the note holder can save space when it is not in use and becarried easily.

[0012] The other objective of the invention is to provide an improvednote holder that can hold and position a piece of paper well.

[0013] Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the inventionwill become more apparent from the following detailed description whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014]FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view showing a note holder inaccordance with present invention;

[0015]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the note holder in FIG. 1 with anote;

[0016]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional top plan view of the note holder inFIG. 1 with a note;

[0017]FIG. 4 is an operational cross sectional side plane view of thenote holder in FIG. 1; and

[0018]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional note holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0019] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a note holder in accordance withthe present invention includes a U-shaped base (10) and a body (20). Thebase (10) has two ends (not numbered), a top, a bottom and an insidesurface (14). The inside surface (14) is around an inner space (notnumbered). A lip (11) is formed at the top of the base (10) andextending inward from the inside surface (14) except for a section neareach end of the base (10). Two pivot pins (12) are formed on the insidesurface (14) near the ends of the base (10) respectively. A key (13) isformed on and extending from one of the two pivot pins (12) toward thelip (11).

[0020] The body (20) is pivotally mounted on the base (10) and isreceived in the inner space of the base (10) when the note holder isclosed. The body (20) has a center and includes a first wing (21) and asecond wing (22). Both the first wing (21) and the second wing (22) havean inside surface facing each other. A slot (23) is formed between thefirst wing (21) and the second wing (22).

[0021] A primary fin (24) with two sides is formed in the center of thebody (20) and two auxiliary fins (25) are formed parallel respectivelyon opposite sides of the primary fin (24) on the inside surface of thefirst wing (21). Two opposing fins (26) are formed respectively betweenthe primary fin (24) and the auxiliary fins (25), and a recess (27) isdefined between the two opposing fins (26) on the inside surface of thesecond wing (22).

[0022] Two pivot holes (28) are defined respectively in opposite sidesof the body (20) corresponding to the pivot pins (12) in the base (10).Two keyholes (29) are defined at one side of the body (20) andcommunicate with the corresponding pivot hole (28). Each keyhole (29)corresponds to the key (13) with the body (20) in a specific position.The pivot pins (12) pivotally mount in the pivot holes (28), and the key(13) locks into one of the keyholes (28) at the same time.

[0023] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the body (20) is turned relativeto the base (10) until the body (20) abuts the lip (11) of the base(10). The key (13) is fitted into one of the keyholes (29) so the body(20) is supported by the base (10) and can stand on a table. Thus, anote (30) such as a notepaper can be held in the slot (23) of the body(20) to display a message or the like. When the note (30) is insertedinto the slot (23), the auxiliary fins (25) and the opposing fins (26)hold the note (30) and co-operate with the primary fin (24) to hold thenote (30) firmly in place. Consequently, the note (30) will bepositioned well even when the wind is blowing.

[0024] With reference to FIG. 4, the note holder is foldable because thebody (20) is pivotally mounted in the base (10). The user turns the body(20) into the inner space from the bottom of the base (10). Similarly,the key (13) is fitted into the other keyhole (29) so the body (20) canbe positioned and held in the inner space. The note holder has a smallersize for storage and carrying.

[0025] The invention has the following advantages:

[0026] 1. Foldable capability: The body (20) is pivotally mounted in thebase (20), and the base (20) has the inner space to receive the body(20). When the note holder is not in used, the body (20) is turnedrelative to the base (10) and the inner space holds the body (20). Thenote holder is smaller than when in use, and it will occupy a smallerspace in storage and be more convenient to carry it.

[0027] 2. Good use:

[0028] The note holder in accordance with the present invention hasseveral fins (24,25,26) in the slot (23), which bend and securely holdnotes (30) inserted into the slot (23). The user does not have to worryabout the note (30) sliding or being blown out of the slot (23).

[0029] Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of thepresent invention have been set forth in the foregoing description,together with details of the structure and function of the invention,the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail,especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts withinthe principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by thebroad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims areexpressed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A note holder comprising: a base with two ends, atop, an inside surface, two pivot pins formed on the inside surface nearthe end of the base respectively and a key formed and extending from oneof the two pivot pins on the inside surface; and a body having a centerand pivotally mounted in the base with the two pivot pins, and the bodycomprising: a first wing and a second wing, both the first wing and thesecond wing having an inside surface facing each other; a slot formedbetween the first wing and the second wing; a primary fin with two sidesformed on the inside surface of the first wing at the center of thebody; a opposing fin formed on the inside surface of the second wing ata side corresponding to each of the two sides of the primary finrespectively; two pivot holes defined respectively in opposite sides ofthe body and each pivot hole corresponding to a different pivot pin inthe base and the pivot holes adapted for the body to be mountedpivotally in the base; and two keyholes formed respectively at a sidecorresponding to the key in the body and each of the keyholescorresponding to the key and communicating with one of the pivot holesat the side of the body.
 2. The note holder as claimed in claim 1,wherein a lip is formed on the inside surface at the top of the base. 3.The note holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein two auxiliary fins areformed on the inside surface of the first wing respectively.
 4. The noteholder as claimed in claim 3, wherein a recess is formed on the insidesurface of the second wing between the two opposing fins.
 5. The noteholder as claimed in claim 4, wherein the base is U-shaped.